Army Research Office:  Basic Research for Army Transformation

Jim C.I. Chang

U.S. Army Research Office

&

Army Research Laboratory

 

 

Abstract:

 

Given the uncertain future, the increasing environmental complexity of battle space, and the wide spectrum of potential conflicts, the current and future armies have greater challenges to face.  We will first describe sciences and technologies central to transforming Army from the legacy force to the objective force, which should be more responsive, agile, versatile and lethal.   We will then give an overview of the Army Research Office (ARO) that is leading the efforts in seeding basic Army research to develop transformational technologies for the Army.

 

We will also describe several key science and technology initiatives in the Army/DoD.  These include current or near-term research initiatives to combat terrorism, as well as long-term research focuses that may have transformational payoffs in the next ten to fifteen years.  We will also briefly present research highlights from the ARO sponsored research programs in counter-terrorism, nano-science, biotechnology and computationally-intensive programs.

 

 

Brief Biography:

 

Dr. Chang serves in a dual-hatted position as the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Deputy Director for Basic Science and the Director of the Army Research Office (ARO). As the ARL Deputy Director for Basic Science, Dr. Chang is the senior science and technology executive charged with oversight of the entire ARL basic research (6.1) program. As such he is responsible for maintaining a coherent basic research program among all of the Army 6.1 components and assuring the transition of research to technology development.

 

The ARL is the Army's corporate laboratory with many sites spread throughout the U.S. Its mission is to provide the Army with the key technologies and analytical support that are necessary to ensure future land warfare supremacy. The ARL is staffed with about 2000 employees and has a budget of about $670 million.

 

As the ARO Director, Dr. Chang leads an organization of world-class scientists and engineers (including Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Scientist (ST) personnel) who manage an extramural research program in the physical and engineering sciences. The ARO research portfolio includes over $160 million in single investigator research (1,200 active projects) and multidisciplinary research centers (over 40). The research is conducted mostly in universities with participation from industry and the Army laboratory community.

 

Within the Army Materiel Command, Dr. Chang oversees Army programs totalling approximately $140 million. These include the Army’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and a Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minorities Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program.

 

Dr. Chang entered federal civil service in 1978 and was appointed to the SES in November 1990. During his civil service career, he served as Director of the Aerospace and Materials Sciences Directorate for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. There he managed the $50 million Air Force basic research programs supporting aircraft, tactical and ballistic missiles, and spacecraft design and operation.

 

From 1989 through 1990, Dr. Chang was Chief Scientist at the Naval Air Systems Command. He supervised all science and technology development supporting the Naval Aviation Force. From 1988 through 1989, he served as a manager in the Office of Systems Assessment with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. For the previous 10 years, Dr. Chang was a branch head at the Naval Research Laboratory where he led research and development efforts in materials, mechanics, structures, and thermal sciences.

 

Dr. Chang published more than 40 publications and served as an associate editor and reviewer for several professional journals. He is active in academics and DOD science and technology committee activities.

 

Dr. Chang was born in China during World War II. After completing his bachelor of science degree in hydraulic engineering from Taiwan Cheng-Kung University, he emigrated to the United States. He received his M.S. in civil engineering at Michigan Technological University and Ph.D. in theoretical and applied mechanics at Cornell University.